Most of the Smithsonian museums in the District will be open Thursday through Sunday only.

The Smithsonian museums in D.C. are switching to modified schedules to handle employee absences due to COVID-19. The temporary change to the operating hours will allow the Smithsonian to handle staff shortages and make sure the public still has access to the museums.

The majority of the museums will only be open four days a week, with the Smithsonian Institute Building "The Castle" and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly remaining open seven days a week. The changes began on January 18 and will remain in effect until further notice.

This follows the closure of museums at the beginning of January.

Museums in the D.C. area are utilizing the following schedule:

• Closed on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays:
  • The National Zoo
  • Arts and Industries Building
  • American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery
  • Renwick Gallery
  • The National Museum of the American Indian
  • Hirshhorn Museum
  • The National Museum of African Art
  • The National Museum of Asian Art
• Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays
  • The National Museum of African American History and Culture
  • The National Museum of Natural History
• Closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays
  • The National Museum of American History

In addition, three museums remain closed to the public: the National Postal Museum, Anacostia Community Museum, and the National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall, which is closed through the summer for renovations that are being paid for using a $200-million gift from Jeff Bezos.

The complete list of operating hours can be found on the Smithsonian's website.

Washington D.C. currently has a positivity rate of around 17% and more than 86% of the population is vaccinated.

Mayor Muriel Bowser enacted a vaccine mandate on January 15 that requires anyone visiting a bar, restaurant, gym, or indoor cultural center to show proof of vaccination. So far, museums have not been included in that mandate.

What do you think of the new schedule for the Smithsonian museums? Have you visited any recently? Comment below.